If you’re dreaming about festive cookies that bring both charm and mouthwatering flavor to your holiday table, this Christmas Swirl Butter Cookies Recipe is just what you need. These delightful butter cookies combine tender, buttery dough with vibrant red and green swirls that make every bite feel like a celebration. With a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture and a perfect balance of sweetness, these cookies will quickly become your go-to treat for holiday gatherings, cookie exchanges, or a cozy night in with a cup of hot cocoa.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This Christmas Swirl Butter Cookies Recipe uses simple, classic ingredients that come together to create that perfect buttery, flavorful base and festive colors. Each ingredient has a special role, from the all-purpose flour that provides structure to the gel food coloring that makes these cookies truly stand out.
- All-purpose flour: The backbone of your cookie dough, it ensures a tender yet sturdy cookie.
- Baking powder: Adds just a touch of lift for a light texture.
- Salt: Enhances flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Unsalted butter: Softened butter brings that rich, creamy mouthfeel that defines a great butter cookie.
- Powdered sugar: Gives the dough a smooth, delicate sweetness without grittiness.
- Large egg: Binds everything together, adding moisture and tenderness.
- Vanilla extract: Offers warm, comforting depth that complements the buttery base.
- Red gel food coloring: Creates vibrant holiday red swirls without watering down the dough.
- Green gel food coloring: The perfect partner to the red for that classic Christmas swirl effect.
- Assorted sprinkles and colored sugar: Adds sparkle, fun, and a colorful festive finish.
How to Make Christmas Swirl Butter Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Prepare Dry Ingredients
Start by whisking together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. This ensures that the leavening agent and seasoning are evenly distributed throughout the dough, helping every cookie bake beautifully.
Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar
Using an electric mixer, beat the softened unsalted butter and powdered sugar until they become light, creamy, and utterly smooth. This step is crucial—it aerates the mixture and sets the stage for those tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookies we all love.
Step 3: Incorporate Wet Ingredients
Next, add the large egg and vanilla extract to the creamed butter mixture. Beat until everything is fully combined. The egg adds moisture and structure, while the vanilla brings that warm, inviting aroma that makes your kitchen smell like holiday magic.
Step 4: Form and Color Dough
Gradually blend the dry ingredients into the wet mixture to form a soft, uniform dough. Divide this dough into three equal portions. Leave one plain to keep that classic buttery look, then tint the other two with red and green gel food coloring. This is where your cookies start to look festive and ready to impress.
Step 5: Shape Cookies
Fill three piping bags with each colored dough, each fitted with a large star or swirl tip. Pipe elegant spiral shapes onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. The swirls create a stunning visual effect that’s sure to delight anyone who sees them.
Step 6: Chill Dough
Pop the piped cookies into the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes. This chilling step is essential to keep the cookies’ intricate shapes from spreading too much during baking, preserving those beautiful swirls.
Step 7: Bake Cookies
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the chilled cookies for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges turn a delicate golden color. Keep an eye on them—this is when aroma and anticipation will fill your kitchen.
Step 8: Cool and Garnish
Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack. Once cooled, sprinkle on your assorted sprinkles or colored sugar to add sparkle and that extra festive touch that makes these cookies a true holiday showstopper.
How to Serve Christmas Swirl Butter Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
These cookies are already stunning with their colorful swirls, but adding assorted sprinkles or colored sugar after cooling amps up the festive look and adds a slight crunch that contrasts beautifully with the buttery softness.
Side Dishes
Serve these Christmas Swirl Butter Cookies alongside warm beverages like hot cocoa, spiced mulled wine, or a creamy latte. They also pair beautifully with a simple bowl of fresh berries or a plate of mixed nuts for a delightful holiday snack spread.
Creative Ways to Present
Deck out a holiday-themed cookie platter with fresh pine sprigs, cinnamon sticks, or dried orange slices to create an inviting display. Wrapping individual cookies in cellophane tied with ribbon makes for charming edible gifts that friends and family will adore.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Once completely cooled, store your Christmas Swirl Butter Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh and delicious for up to a week, perfect for relaxing with a cookie whenever the holiday bustle slows down.
Freezing
If you want to prepare these cookies well in advance, you can freeze the baked and cooled cookies in a sealed container or freezer bag. When properly stored, they maintain their flavor and texture for up to 3 months.
Reheating
For that freshly-baked feel, warm your cookies in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes after removing from freezer storage. This refreshes their buttery aroma and softens them slightly, making each bite as heavenly as the first time.
FAQs
Can I use regular food coloring instead of gel?
You can, but gel food coloring is preferred because it provides more vibrant colors without altering the dough’s consistency or moisture balance, keeping your swirls crisp and colorful.
Are these cookies suitable for children to help make?
Absolutely! Kids will love the colorful dough and piping the swirls – it’s a fun way to get them involved in holiday baking while developing some great kitchen skills.
Can I make these cookies gluten-free?
To make a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a reliable gluten-free flour blend. Keep in mind that texture might be slightly different, but the flavor will still shine.
How long can the dough be stored before baking?
You can refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours before piping and baking, which can help if you want to prep ahead and bake fresh cookies on the day of your event.
Do these cookies keep their shape well during baking?
Yes, especially with the chilling step before baking. Refrigerating the shaped dough ensures the swirls don’t spread out too much and your cookies keep their festive form perfectly.
Final Thoughts
If you’re ready to bring a bit of extra joy to your holiday baking, this Christmas Swirl Butter Cookies Recipe is a fantastic choice. It’s not just about the sweet, buttery flavor but also about creating something colorful and fun that everyone will enjoy. Give this recipe a try—you might just find your new favorite holiday tradition in every bite!
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Christmas Swirl Butter Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 24 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Christmas Swirl Butter Cookies are festive, colorful, and perfect for holiday celebrations. Crafted with a simple buttery dough split into vibrant red, green, and natural swirls, these cookies are piped into elegant spirals and decorated with sprinkles or colored sugar, making them both delicious and visually delightful.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2.75 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 0.75 cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coloring and Decoration
- Red gel food coloring
- Green gel food coloring
- Assorted sprinkles
- Colored sugar
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined to ensure even distribution of rising agents.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened unsalted butter and powdered sugar together until the mixture becomes light, creamy, and smooth, which will lend a tender texture to the cookies.
- Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Add the large egg and vanilla extract to the creamed butter mixture, mixing thoroughly until fully combined and smooth, helping to bind the dough.
- Form and Color Dough: Gradually add the whisked dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until a soft, uniform dough forms. Divide the dough equally into three portions. Leave one plain, tint the second with red gel food coloring, and the third with green gel food coloring, mixing each until the color is evenly dispersed.
- Shape Cookies: Transfer each colored dough portion into separate piping bags fitted with a large star or swirl tip. Pipe distinct spiral shapes onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, creating festive swirls.
- Chill Dough: Refrigerate the piped cookies for 20 to 30 minutes to firm up the dough, which helps maintain the shape during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the chilled cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn a light golden color, indicating they are perfectly baked.
- Cool and Garnish: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet. Once cool, decorate with assorted sprinkles or colored sugar to add a festive decorative finish.
Notes
- Chilling the piped dough is essential to keep the intricate swirl shapes intact during baking.
- You can use any star or swirl piping tip depending on the shape you prefer for the cookies.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- These cookies freeze well; just thaw completely before serving.
- Be careful not to overbake to keep the cookies tender and buttery.
